Verdict: Choose curbside pickup for most cannabis orders
Curbside pickup is the better default. You order ahead, park in a marked spot, show your ID through the window, and take your bag. The store absorbs the trip cost, the line disappears, and the order sits in your hand in minutes. Delivery wins in three cases: no car, no safe way to travel, or a cart large enough that a flat fee still beats fuel and tolls. Use the steps below to settle the comparison for your own order.
Curbside pickup: what you get
- Order minimum: often none, or lower than delivery
- Fee: zero at most shops, though some add a small service charge
- Wait: 10 to 20 minutes after the ready text
- ID check: at the curb, in person
- Payment: card or cash at the window, depending on state rules
Pickup suits shoppers who know the menu, live within a short drive, and want the lowest total. It also lets you inspect the bag before you pull away, which matters for flower weight and packaging seals.
Cannabis Curbside Pickup Reviews
Delivery: what you get
- Order minimum: $50 to $100 at many stores
- Fee: $5 to $15, plus a possible state delivery tax
- Wait: 30 to 90 minutes, longer at peak hours
- ID check: at your door
- Payment: some drivers carry cash only, some accept debit
Delivery suits medical patients, shoppers without a vehicle, and anyone buying a full week or month of product. A single delivery fee spread across six items can cost less than a round trip with parking.
Curbside Pickup for Medical Patients
How to choose in five steps
- Open two tabs: the curbside menu and the delivery menu for the same store.
- Build the same cart in both tabs, item for item.
- Add the delivery fee, the delivery tax, and an optional tip to the delivery total.
- Add fuel, tolls, and parking to the pickup total for your route.
- Pick the lower total, then confirm your ID and payment method match store policy.
Where each option stops making sense
Curbside fails when the shop sits 40 minutes away, when the ready text arrives while you are at work, or when state law bans curbside sales and forces an in-store line. Delivery fails when the minimum exceeds your cart, when the driver window closes before you order, or when your building has no secure drop point and you must meet the car.
Cannabis Curbside Pickup Cost: Understanding the Convenience Factor
Final call
Default to curbside pickup for small and mid-size orders. Switch to delivery when the trip costs more than the fee, when you cannot drive, or when a medical need keeps you home. Check both totals once, and the comparison takes less time than the drive.